Service valve for portable containers



Dec. 19, 1944. c w. ASHLEY I 2,365,241

SERVICE VALVE FOR PORTABLE CONTAINERS Filed June 20; 1941 201 n J. M 13 14 7 7: I) I MA 1 AMA E 1 a 197 j \\\:j .4 I 2 f z! 254 94 12 g Z0?f l0 z\o/\ 9 nnml nlnnlnn 147 TOE/YE Y Patented Dec. 19, 1944 Stavros-yams FoRfPoRT-ABLE- CONTAINERS Cecil W. Ashley, Fort" Wortli, Tex.

Application June120 1941, Serial No.3 98;898=

3.. claims. (01. 222-501)".

This inventionrelates to a service valve assembly'for liquid containers or drums: andiit has particular reference" tothe typeof gate valve known asan oilor molasses gate for dispensing such commodities from= portable containers commonly provided only with an integral fitting into which a' conventional plug is threaded to be removed to receive a detachable valve; and its principal object resides in the provision of a service valve-adapted to be installed in the con-- tainer to become a permanent part thereof and" designed to be retracted into" thecont'ain'er and extended therefrom to provide a suitable dis-- charge spout for; conducting the.- contents from the said container into another-vessel.

Another object of the inventibnresides in the provision of a service orgate-valve capable of" being installed in the conventional container having standard fittings therein, yetadapted to :beretracted or urged back into the" container and locked in such position for transportation to avoid thenecessit for'removing thesaid valve for suchpurposes, thus maintainingthe device in condition, at all times. for ready use but with-- out" the awkward and unsightl extension which would be occasioned by the use of a conventional' rigid valve incapable of retraction into the container;

Yet another object of the invention is manifest in the provision of the: novel closure arrangement for the inner end of the valve; in teriorly of the" container; which is designed to afford the maximum surfaceagainst' which the liquid contents of the container-may be applied to close the, valve and retain the same in closed" position, aided by aspring until the closure is manipulated by a suitableplunger arrangement" exteriorly' of the container.

' An important object of theinvention resides in the provision of a compact trap' adapted to close the outer end of the valve and-at once lock the same in. its retracted position in the container, thus minimizing the project-ions thereon and consequently the; hazards exa periencedf in handling. whereby conventional? valve:v arrangements may be. injured: on knocked on; if" allowe'dtdremain in the container during shipment or: transportation, the: closure trap 00'- in. connection. with the dispensing of all types of liquid products to expedite the: dispensing op-- erationfandi minimize leakage, as well as to a ford a great saving-in time. commonly required: to remove and install conventional type-valves and to includ'e in such assembly a dependable locking meanswherebyaccess may be gainedv to;

the contents. of the said thorized persons.

- While theforegoin'g: objects are paramount,

container by only. au-

other and lesser objects will become'manifest'.

as the description proceeds taken: in connection. with the appended drawing wherein:

Figure! 1 is a longitudinal cross sectional illustration' of the valve installed in aconventional:

fitting andshowing the closureassembly in a closed position but illustrating the same open in": dotted lines.

Figure 2 is a view takenon lines 2'-2.' of. Fig:- ure 1 and showing the invention in lateral cross:

section.

Figure 3 illustrates a modified form 01 the. invention inl'ongitudinalsection in which an especia-lly' designed, fitting isemployed;

Figure 4 is a front end-view of the invention i1- lustrating slotted apertures in the cap flange and the set screw'lockingf device for the cap;

Figure fa- 'illustrates' another modification of the invention showing. the: sleeve rigidly secured:

to the fitting to: form: a. fixed discharge spout, and

Figure 6-is aperspective illustration of the preferred form of trap for closing; the" outer end. of. thevalve.

Accordingly, therefore; the invention comprises-,p'rima-rily a. sleeve l which; in: its preaferred form; is slidabl'yarranged within a fillting 2. which: may be: exterior-1y threaded. at a and adapted tabe threadedl'y secured within an interiorlv flanged fitting 3a ofthe conventional type" employed. in: steel containers or drums, the" wall-4 of. such. a. container being f-raginentarily' shown} in: Figure 12.

30th. ends. by and ofl'the; sleeve? i, are; prefer external extension of" the sleeve I and; provide: a: suitable seat forthesubstantiallyconical dia-- phra'gmclosure. 5 arranged within the inner end of the. sleeve l'.

Ihe closure membenfi is connected to:t'hein- Her: end of a plunger 6' through themediurrr oti nuts I and washers 8 of some pliable material having the consistency of rubber, or the like, but not subject to the deteriorating effect of oils and other fluids containing acids and similar. corrosive properties. This arrangement affords a flexible connection between the closure 5 and the plunger 6 whereby, due to the substantial conical shape of the member 5, the latter can be properly seated against the upturned end of the sleeve I.

The opposite end of the plunger 6 is rigidly connected with a lever 9, which is substantially L-shaped, having a vertical and horizontal leg I0 and II. The lever and plunger assembly are operatively mounted in a bracket I2 rigidly secured to the inner top of the sleeve I which is provided with downwardly depending legs I3 and 14, the formerhaving an opening [5 in its lowermost end slidably accommodating the horizontal leg I I of the lever 9 while the vertical leg I3 of the member I 2 is likewise provided with an opening I6 slidably accommodating the plunger 6, each of the members I3 and I 4 functioning also as suitable guides for the plunger 6 and the lever 9.

A plurality of notches I'I forming one or more angular teeth I8 are provided in the upper side of the leg ll of the lever 9 for the purpose of temporarily locking the latter within the opening I5 of the member l3 to retain the closure 5 away from the seat 0 and permit the flow of liquid through the sleeve I from the container 4. A plurality of the notches I1 is provided in order to afiord adjustability or the variable positioning of the closure 5 with respect to the inner end c of the sleeve I, as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 1.

As previously stated, the sleeve I, in the preferred form of the invention, is slidable with respect to the fitting 2 and for this reason it is desirable to afford a packing ring I9 which is inserted in an annular recess e in the outer face at of the fitting 2, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2. This arrangement insures a close fit exterior- 13 of the member I within the fitting 2 to prevent leakage and also provides for a proper seal around the rear surface of the outer end I) of the sleeve I when the valve is retracted into the container and locked in closed position.

The outer closure or cap is formed with a flange 2| at its base having a plurality of spaced apertures 22 each having lateral communicating slots 23 adapted to engage the hoods of a plurality of studs 24 spaced about the outer face d of the fitting 2 by which the cap 20 can be rigidly secured to the member 2 retaining the sleeve l in its retracted position within the drum 4.

- It is obvious that by reason of the shape of the member 5 the pressure of the fluids contained within the drum 4 will bear against the inner face of the member 5 and not only retain the same in its closed position against the inner end a of the sleeve I but suchpressures willalso serve to urge the sleeve outwardly to the limit of its extension, as illustrated in Figure 1,'

to provide a. dispensing spout. It is essential, therefore, that some means be provided, such as the elements 2!, 22, 23 and 24, to secure the cap 20 to the member 2 in order to retain the sleeve I in its retracted position within the container -4 against the pressure of they liquid therein. A

suitable packing ring 25 affords the proper seal around the cap 20 against the outer end b of the sleeve I or the face 11 of the member 2 to prevent leakage.- Similarly a sealing compound forming a the cap 20, through vibration, or the like.

ring 7' may be afforded around the inner end 0 of the sleeve I, as shown in Figure 1.

While the liquid pressures within the container 4 are deemed sufiicient to retain the closure 5 against its seat on the inner end 0 of the sleeve I, it is considered desirable to provide a spring 26 on the plunger 6 which aids in drawing the closure 5 against its seat. The spring 26 bears in each direction against the lever 9 on its outer end and the lowermost end of the vertical leg I4 of the bracket [2 and is always under a slight tension calculated to urge the member 5 against its seat in the manner heretofore described.

It will be noted that the modification illustrated in Figure 3 is similar in all respects to the form of the invention shown in Figure 1 except that the conventional fitting 3, commonly installed in the wall of the container 4, is

supplemented by an especially designed fitting 2'! having smooth inner and outer surfaces instead of the threaded outer surface, as illustrated in Figure 1, which may be welded into the open ing provided in the wall of the container 4, or it may be otherwise secured therein, and adapted to receive the sleeve I without the use of the internal fitting 2. In other words, in the modification illustrated in Figure 3 the members 2 and 3 employed in the structure shown in Figure 1 can be combined, thus eliminating one of the parts.

The closure element 5, the plunger 6 and the lever assembly 9, II] and Il may be also operatively supported within the sleeve l by an arrangement similar to the brackets I2, illustrated in Figure 1, whereby the variable adjustments of the closure 5 with respect to its seat may be accomplished. The cap 20 may also be provided with an extending cylindrical portion 28 of a slightly lesser diameter than the internal diameter of the sleeve I so that the member 28 can be inserted into the latter, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 3, and slotted at 29 to provide a bayonet joint for locking the cap upon the sleeve I. This arrangement is also provided in the structure illustrated in Figure 5. The slot 29 is adapted to receive an internally projecting lug 30 within the sleeve I which engages the slot 29 to retain the cap 20 rigidly thereon.

In some instances a non-retractible rigid valve assembly is desirable and the modification illustrated in Figure 5 is provided for this purpose. The sleeve l is secured, preferably by welding g, or other suitable means, to a fitting similar to the element 2 in Figure l. The assembly can then be threaded into the conventional fitting 3, commonly installed in the wall of a container 4, and allowed to project therefrom in the usual manner. In transporting the container the assembly may be removed from the fitting 3 and the conventional plug inserted in the opening.

A locking arrangement comprising a boss 3| integral with the sleeve I interiorly threaded to receive a set screw 32, preferably of the Allen type, may be arranged on the valve, in the manner illustrated in Figure 5, to lock the cap 20 in position on the sleeve I and prevent the same from removal by unauthorized persons. It is desirable to provide the set screw 32 with a recess in its top capable of accommodating aspecial key only, such as that ordinarily em-' ployed with the Allen type set screw, and such i locking arrangement may also insure against the accidental opening of the valve, or removal of A similar locking arrangement is provided for the cap 20, as illustrated in Figure 4. v

Manifestly, the invention is capable of considerable changes and modifications by persons skilled in the art and such changes and modifications which may be resorted to from time to time which are considered as coming within the spirit and intent of the invention may also be considered as falling within the scope of the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

tainers having a fitting secured in the wall of the container and a sleeve slidably arranged through the said fitting, a conical diaphragm member having its inner face amenable to the pressure of the liquid'within the said container to close the inner end of the said sleeve, a plunger operatively arranged in the said sleeve and connected to the said diaphragm member and a lever on said plunger providing means for manually operating the said diaphragm to open and close the same. a

2. In a liquid service valve forportable containers having a fitting secured in the wall of the 'said container and a sliding extensible and retractible sleeve arranged in the said fitting, a conical closure adapted to seat against the inner. end of the said sleeve designed to be acted upon by pressures within the said container, a plunger operatively arranged in the said,

sleeve and flexibly connected to the said closure for manually opening and closing the same and means comprising a lever having notches therein and associated with the said plunger adapting the said closure to be variably positioned with respect to its seat. I

3. In a valve assembly for containers having a fitting secured in the wall thereof and an extensible and retractible sleeve arranged in the said fitting, means comprising a substantially conical member interiorly of the said container providing a pressureactuated closure for the inner end of the said sleeve, a tensioned manually operated plunger flexibly connected with the said closure having a lever connected thereto formed with retaining notches thereon providing for the variable positioning of the said closure with respect to its seat and a frame structure rigidly secured in the said sleeve supporting the said lever and plunger.

' CECIL W. ASHLEY.. 

